The 14 Best Turkeys to Order Online for Thanksgiving, According to Customer Reviews

You’re set on making your mom’s famous sausage stuffing recipe, classic green bean casserole, biscuits from scratch and your signature cranberry sauce. But as tasty as the sides will be, the meal would feel incomplete without a turkey. With so many on the market, how can you decide which bird is right for you? Beyond offering the top-rated turkeys you can buy online, I'll answer some of your biggest questions about ordering one—fresh or frozen? brand name or generic?—so you can feel confident heading into the holidays. (Scroll all the way to the bottom for those FAQ's.)

I chose these by pooling editor recommendations and customer reviews and scouring the internet. Whether you’re looking for an impressive heritage bird or the notorious turducken, there’s a main on this list that fits your needs. And if you want to impress from the start, consider adding a few fancy appetizers that will keep guests raving even before the turkey arrives. Ready to get cooking? Here are the best turkeys to order online for Thanksgiving this year, according to customer reviews. (Spoiler: My top choice is the Fossil Farms Whole Bird Turkey, which starts at $73.)

Try to buy a fresh bird over a frozen one when you can. You won’t have to wait days for it to defrost in the fridge, and it’ll roast slightly faster than its frosty counterpart. (Since they don’t last as long as frozen turkeys, you’ll want to preorder one and pick it up a day or two before Thanksgiving.) On the other hand, frozen turkeys can still turn out delicious—they’re usually cheaper than fresh ones, plus they offer more flexibility in case your plans change (meaning they won’t rot overnight in your fridge).

If you’re willing to spend a little more, look for a free-range turkey. Free-range birds are required to have continuous outdoor access for more than 51 percent of their lives. Because their lives are less stressful, free-range birds tend to taste better. On the flip side, they can be a bit more muscular than other birds due to all that extra movement, so they can taste a bit gamy compared to what you’re used to. But you can always soften that flavor with milk and/or a brine.

The ultimate splurge is a heritage turkey. Heritage turkeys have been bred to stay just as they were many years ago, a far cry from the jacked-up birds of today that have been bred for consumption. Its flavor will be significantly gamy and intense compared to supermarket birds.

If it’s your first time cooking a holiday feast (or you’re worried about pulling off a brine on your own), opt for a pre-basted or pre-roasted turkey. Many are packaged in a butter and salt solution that makes cooking a moist, tender bird a breeze.

In an Epicurious taste-test of six supermarket turkeys, a fresh Bell & Evans turkey was their top choice, due to its tender meat, authentic turkey flavor and attractive outer skin. (The birds are also bred to grow at a slower pace, causing them to have broad, juicy breasts.) Other top brands across various reviews include Organic Prairie and Honeysuckle.

Butterball is among the most popular, likely due to its affordability and accessibility. Other common brands include Honeysuckle, Jennie-O, Boar’s Head, Perdue, Pilgrim’s Pride and Applegate Farms.

Not necessarily. Many reviewers and taste-testers complain about its off texture (no one wants mealy breast meat), excessive saltiness and lack of flavor (or worse, a chemical-like flavor). Butterball turkeys, like many others, are injected with additives for moisture, but some reviewers find the meat almost too watery.

In its defense, some testers say it roasts to a beautiful golden brown and the cost is minimal compared to competitors at about $1.49 per pound. If your only option is a Butterball turkey, it’ll get the job done—but there are plenty of better quality birds on the market.

If you're buying a fresh turkey, you'll want to get it no more than a couple days before Thanksgiving. If you're buying frozen, you can get it several weeks in advance.

According to the USDA, a solid rule of thumb is to reserve about one pound of meat per guest if you're buying a whole bird and about 8 ounces per guest if you're buying boneless.

It depends on the size of the bird. Allow approximately 24 hours of thawing in the fridge for every four to five pounds of poultry. (So, a four- to 12- pound turkey will need one to three days to come to temp, while a 20- to 24-pound turkey will need five to six days.)

If you forget to pop the bird in the fridge in time, don't worry: You can likely thaw it in cold water in a few hours. Worst case scenario, you can also cook your turkey from frozen; it'll just take about 50 percent longer to cook through.